The Living Christmas Trees concert has been a longstanding tradition at the Grace Brethren Church of Columbus, more commonly known as Big Grace. Many students at Worthington Christian participate in the concert every year, and it continues to be a spectacle year after year.
This year, the plot of the concert follows the inner-workings of a swanky New York hotel during the early 1900s. Dwayne Smith appears as Huston, a hotel manager with a vision for his life – power, prestige, and prosperity. Mark Price is the bumbling doorman, Murray, who makes up for his lack of intelligence with his big heart and insight into Christianity. The story opens on the hotel as an African ambassador arrives as trouble is brewing. The world-famous recipe for the hotel’s Christmas dessert is missing! Dave O’Roark plays the charming (though not entirely couture) French chef whose job is on the line if the recipe cannot be found. And in the midst of the craziness, a mysterious stranger comes to the hotel and quietly performs good deeds. After leaving and paying the bill for the entire hotel, Mr. Godson sparks a conversation between Murray and Huston discussing what is important about Christmas and life. The gospel is clearly presented through their ongoing conversation while Jesus’ life is played out for the audience.
As usual, Living Christmas Trees was a spectacle of music, dance, and acting. There was always something interesting happening on stage. The animals made their usual appearances – camels, sheep, and a donkey – and there were a few new arrivals on the scene as well. A snake wound itself around a girl’s shoulders as she led the three kings’ procession and an angel rode through the aisle on a white horse. The angel scene this year took a departure from the traditional LCT style: the hanging angels were absent from the proceeding and were replaced by male angels with war paint and flaming swords. The change was drastic, and received mixed reviews. Some people thought that the change was needed, and that the new angels were inspired, but others looked back on the hanging angels – which always looked like decorations until the audience realized there were people inside – with fond nostalgia. By far the most popular scene in the concert was the twelve days of Christmas, in which over sixty actors climbed from a giant trunk to represent the many presents of the song. The presentation of Jesus’ life also made a small deviation from previous years. Rather than the main characters of the plot “falling” into Biblical times, a conversation between two characters sparks the memory of the Gospels. It is during this conversation that the gift of salvation is most clearly portrayed. The writers took special care this year to avoid clichés by making one character a skeptic who, in the end, does not go the whole way to accept Christ.
Many students at WCHS got involved with Living Christmas Trees this year, though there are too many to list. Many students participated as actors, a handful sang in the choir, and many more helped with production and pre-show entertainment. As a result, they produced a winning Christmas concert that will be remembered for years to come.
This year, the plot of the concert follows the inner-workings of a swanky New York hotel during the early 1900s. Dwayne Smith appears as Huston, a hotel manager with a vision for his life – power, prestige, and prosperity. Mark Price is the bumbling doorman, Murray, who makes up for his lack of intelligence with his big heart and insight into Christianity. The story opens on the hotel as an African ambassador arrives as trouble is brewing. The world-famous recipe for the hotel’s Christmas dessert is missing! Dave O’Roark plays the charming (though not entirely couture) French chef whose job is on the line if the recipe cannot be found. And in the midst of the craziness, a mysterious stranger comes to the hotel and quietly performs good deeds. After leaving and paying the bill for the entire hotel, Mr. Godson sparks a conversation between Murray and Huston discussing what is important about Christmas and life. The gospel is clearly presented through their ongoing conversation while Jesus’ life is played out for the audience.
As usual, Living Christmas Trees was a spectacle of music, dance, and acting. There was always something interesting happening on stage. The animals made their usual appearances – camels, sheep, and a donkey – and there were a few new arrivals on the scene as well. A snake wound itself around a girl’s shoulders as she led the three kings’ procession and an angel rode through the aisle on a white horse. The angel scene this year took a departure from the traditional LCT style: the hanging angels were absent from the proceeding and were replaced by male angels with war paint and flaming swords. The change was drastic, and received mixed reviews. Some people thought that the change was needed, and that the new angels were inspired, but others looked back on the hanging angels – which always looked like decorations until the audience realized there were people inside – with fond nostalgia. By far the most popular scene in the concert was the twelve days of Christmas, in which over sixty actors climbed from a giant trunk to represent the many presents of the song. The presentation of Jesus’ life also made a small deviation from previous years. Rather than the main characters of the plot “falling” into Biblical times, a conversation between two characters sparks the memory of the Gospels. It is during this conversation that the gift of salvation is most clearly portrayed. The writers took special care this year to avoid clichés by making one character a skeptic who, in the end, does not go the whole way to accept Christ.Many students at WCHS got involved with Living Christmas Trees this year, though there are too many to list. Many students participated as actors, a handful sang in the choir, and many more helped with production and pre-show entertainment. As a result, they produced a winning Christmas concert that will be remembered for years to come.
